Mike (tfb)

The Earthway 2750 Nylon Bag Seeder/Spreader is a handy piece of gear to have around. I’ve used mine for spreading fall rye and oats as green manure cover crops on relatively small sections, 2,500-5,000 sqf. You could probably get by with it for up to an acre or two. eventually, the walking and refilling would get a little long and a bigger solution would be…better. I haven’t used it that much, but it’s been around and held up well—solid for medium duty use at the price.

Specs from Earthway: “Corrosion, tear and weather resistant 20lb/9kg nylon bag hopper is equipped with a zippered top for easy filling and closure. This nylon construction allows for the bag to remain upright when filling yet collapse for easy storage. From the contoured base for fitting around your hip, the adjustable shoulder strap and a long crank handle, the 2750 is designed with comfortable operation in mind. The Exclusive Rocking Agitator provides smooth, even material feeding to the distribution plate. Our high-speed direct drive gear box allows the operator to adjust the spread width between 8’/215cm-12’/457cm by simply changing the crank rate. Complete directional control and spring to close shut-off makes the 2750 the ultimate choice in hand operated spreaders.”

Certified Naturally Grown is the “grassroots alternative to certified organic.” It is a non-profit, farmer-to-farmer service, with standards similar to those used in organic certification. There are three certification programs: Produce (including maple syrup), Apiaries (for honey), and Livestock (including poultry and eggs). Certification requires CNG membership, which requires an annual donation, no minimum, $75-200 recommended. I’ve certified with CNG, while being certified organic at the same time. They are definitely worth checking out, whether as an additional, locally-oriented certification, or as a standalone alternative organic certification.

The CoolBot “turns any brand of off-the-shelf, window-type air conditioning unit (purchased separately) into a turbo-charged cooling machine. With it, you can transform a highly-insulated room into a walk-in cooler, keeping your vegetables fresh and thermostatically controlled cool down to 32° F!” And it’s only $300. Combined with a $300-500 air conditioner, CoolBot promises to deliver the performance of a commercial cooler compressor that would cost at least $3,000. It also saves around 60% on electricity bills. Installation is incredibly easy: tape a CoolBot sensor to the A/C unit’s temperature sensor.

For building a low-cost walk-in cooler, here are two articles that take entirely different approaches. Both are well worth the read:

The Valley Oak wheel hoe is a fine one! I’ve owned one, a rubber wheel model, for around five seasons, haven’t broken the original blade, or anything else! From the company site: “This high-quality wheel hoe is designed and manufactured by an organic vegetable farmer who knows what it takes for a tool to provide years of service. You can also use this valuable tool for making furrows or loosening compacted soils. Built to last for decades of hard use. Tempered spring steel blade available in 7 sizes from 5″ to 18″ blade. New cam lever adjusts handle height quickly—no tools needed. 1-year money-back guarantee.” With metal or rubber wheel: $265 US.